It seems Scarlett Johannson (r.) was Esquire's first choice for its May cover, but ended up going with curvy beauty Christina Hendricks. (Lovekin/Getty; Corkery/News)

Ferrari-curved actress Scarlett Johannson was Esquire magazine's first pick to grace the cover of its May "Women We Love" issue. But now it sounds like the magazine's editors don't love her so much anymore.

At a recent magazine conference in Toronto, Esquire editor in chief David Granger was fielding a question from the audience when he let slip that the choice, redheaded temptress Christina Hendricks of "Mad Men" fame, was not the first pick for the cover of "Women We Love."

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That honor went to Johansson, Granger admitted, before adding: "Scarlett completely screwed us."

Granger was unreachable Thursday as his comment, originally published in Canada's National Post, gathered heat on the Internet.

But sources familiar with the situation contend there's more smoke than fire.

According to one insider, "Scarlett was indeed the first person approached by Esquire to appear on the cover" and was "committed" to the shoot.

"But things change rather quickly" in the entertainment business, says the source, who added: "I think her commitment on Broadway [in Arthur Miller's 'A View From the Bridge'] prevented her from making good." (Her work in the "Iron Man 2" film also may have been a complication.)

The source also pointed out that part of the "Women We Love" issue was a survey of American women that asked them to choose the best-looking woman in America.

Another source familiar with the situation said Granger's choice of language to describe Johansson's departure "probably had something to do with the fact that David is fiercely competitive and would have been pissed off if the cover fell through."

No wonder Granger was also quoted by the National Post as saying: "All editors are driven by desperation, despair and disillusionment."

Both actresses' camps were maintaining radio silence yesterday, while a spokesman for the magazine told Gatecrasher: "Esquire was thrilled to have Christina Hendricks on the cover."